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-. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. A. CLARK.

(No Model.) "1' EUR G" v W. R. TEBGUARDEN & R

-GAR GOUPLING.

No. 496,493. Patented May 2, 1893.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. R. TEBGUARDEN ze e. A. CLARK.

GAR GoUPLINe.

Patented May 2, 1893.

(No. Model.)

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UNITED STATES ATENT WILLIAM R. TEEGUARDEN AND ROBERT A. CLARK, OF COLFAX, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TC TEEGUARDEN, CLARK da CLARK, OF SAME PLACE.

CAB-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,493, dated May 2, 1893.

Application iiled May 26,1892. Serial No. 434.466. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM R. TEE- GUARDEN and ROBERT A. CLARK, citizens of the United States, residing at Colfax, in the countyof Clinton and State ol' Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention has reference to that class of automatic car couplers which comprise swingi'nghooks pivoted to fixed heads, and in which the coupling connection is eected by the interengagement of the hooks, and it consists generally in providing new and improved nieans for locking the hooks in closed position and for unlocking the same when the cars are to be uncoupled, in sucha manneras that the parts will be in position for the next automatic coupling operation.

The object of our invention is to combine in said locking devices, simplicity of construction and efficiency in operation, and also provision for preventing the accidental uncou'pling of the parts.

- The construction, relative arrangement and combination of the several parts forming our improvements will now be fully described and ascertained, and reference is to be had in connection therewith to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents in plan view a draw head of the type described .having our improved locking devices thereon; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Figs. 3 and 4, similar plan and side views showing a modified form of locking device, and Fig. 5 a plan view of a similar head having another modified form of locking device thereon.

Like lletters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures Aof the drawings. Referring .first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reference 'letter A denotes the head which is `provided with the recess a '.and'horns'b and c of. common construction.

The hook d is pivoted in the horn c and is provided with the usual arm c which extends at about right angles thereto and is engaged by the locking devices which we will new describe.

f is a locking latch which is pivoted on the head bymeaus of a pin f which enters a 'Socket formed therefor, and which permits a vertical and a swinging movement to the 6c latch. l

g is a crank or eccentric rod which when operated raises and lowers the latch, a depression f2 being formed in the underside of the latter to receive the eccentric portion of the rod and temporarily hold it in its raised position.

h is a curved plate made integral with the head or secured thereto and which is provided with an inclined surface which terminates at 7o its highest portion adjacent to the latch when in its normal position, whereby is formed a locking shoulder against which the arm f3 of the latch abuis. The latch is provided wit-h another arm fl and between these arms is formed a recess f5 which receives the arm c of the hook which latter is rounded ott at e to give an easy action in operation. The locking latch is depressed by the action of its own weight or a spring may be Aemployed for this 8o purpose if desirable to supplement the action of the weight of the latch.

In operation, the parts being in a coupled condition-the rod g is turned by any suitable mechanism, from the side of the car or its to be uncoupled and as the advance car is 9o moved forward the hook and arn are swung around the latter carrying th'erewith the locking latch which then y assumes Ithe position shown in dotted lines. The latch as it is swung by the movement of the arm c is disengaged from the rod g whichv returns to its normal' position by the weight of the eccentric or the operating mechanism, and the arm f3 travels down the incline until the position is obtained, I to receive the arm c inthe coupling operation roo which s-as follows: .The interengagement ot thehock's .causes the varm to swing backward and carry therewith the latch which latter is raised by the inclined plate until the same is passed when thelatch falls and is locked against the vertical shoulder.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, f represents the latch which is constituted of a rectangular bar pivoted within the arm e of the hook, and which moves therewith but has a vertically swinging movement independent thereof. The outer free end of this latch is raised by the action of an eccentric rod g similar in construction and operation to the one above described, and is normally locked in position against the shoulder of the inclined plate 7b. The eccentric rod is partially rotated and the outer end of the latch raised thereby until the shoulder is passed when the arm c and latch are free to swing outward to uncouple. In the coupling operation, the hook and arm and the latch are swung backward until the latter drops behind the shoulder and is locked thereby. A similar depression f-2 is formed in the under side of the latch to receive the eccentric portionof the rod g and hold it in its raised position until the latch has swung.

a sufficient distance.

In Fig. 5 is shown aconstruction similar to that described with reference to Figs. 3 and et, with the exception that two inclines are employed and the eccentric portion of the rod g is lengthened and extends outward between them. By reason of this construction the cars may be slacked or drawn forward a short distance when the eccentric rod is raised without engaging or wholly disengaging the parts, as it will be evident that the rod when elevated, will by reason of the increased length of the eccentric portion support the latch until it has swung a considerable distance, and hence the liabilityof an accidental recoupling and the re-manipulation of the eccentric rod is obviated.

By reference to the above description it will be evident that we have produced a car coupler embodying simplicity of construction and eiiicieucy in operation. In coupling and un ,coupling the cars but one manual operation is necessary, for the reason that the act of uncoupling brings the parts into position for re-coupling.

The parts are few and can be readily applied to couplers ot certain types now in use,

and the gettin goutof order isreduced to the minimum.

lVe claiml. In car couplers of the class described the combination with the head and with the hook and-arm thereon, of a latch for. locking said arm, shoulder for locking said latch, and mechanism for raising the latch, substantially as and for the purposes s'et forth.

2. In car couplers of the class described the combination with the head and with the hook and arm thereon, of a latch for locking said arm having a vertical and swinging movement, an inclined plate having a shoulder for locking saidatclaud mechanism for raising said latch for the purpose set forth.

3. In car couplers ot' the class described'the combination with the head and with the hook and arm thereon, of a latch for locking said arm pivoted 'to the head and having a vertiliability of the parts beingbroken' or an inclineonthe head terminating in a cal and a swinging movement, an inclined--V plate ou the head having a shoulder for'lcking the latch, and means for raising said latch to clear the shoulder for the purpose set forth.

4. In car couplers of the class described the combination with the head and with the hook and arm thereon of a llatch for locking said arm pivoted to the head and having a vertical and a swinging movement, an inclined plate on the head having a shoulder for lcck ing the latch, and a revoluble cam rod for raising said latch for the purpose set forth.

5. In car couplers of the class described the combination with the head and with the hook and arm thereon, an inclined rplate having la shoulder, a latch pivotedtthe head and having a vertical movement, an arm on saidlatch for engagement with said shoulder, a recess therein for engagement with the arm of the hook, and an eccentric or crank rod adapted when rotated to raise said latch for the pur- Y pose set forth.

In testimony whereof we afIix our signatures 

